The European Parliament members have strongly condemned all atrocities, shelling of civilians and widespread violations of human rights and international law committed in Syria during the seven-year conflict, holding the Assad regime, Russia and Iran responsible of all the heinous crimes perpetrated in the country.

The European Parliament Members stress that the Syrian regime and its allies Russia and Iran are responsible under international law for the heinous crimes they continue to commit in Syria and the economic consequences of their military interventions.

MEPs advocated creating a Syrian war crimes tribunal, pending a successful referral to the International Criminal Court.

MEPs who condemned the spiraling violence caused by the Syrian regime’s offensive against rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, called on all parties, and in particular Assad’s regime, Russia and Iran, to implement the 30-day ceasefire set by the UN Security Council on February 24 and allow in humanitarian aid.

The repeated Russian vetoes in the Security Council on Syria and on efforts to renew UN investigations on chemical attacks in Syria are “shameful”, MEPs said, adding that “obstruction of the international investigations is more a sign of guilt than anything else”.

Repeated regional and international attempts to end the war that has taken 400,000 Syrian lives, injured thousands more and displaced millions have failed, they deplored.

However, MEPs urge that hope must not be lost and efforts to find a political solution through the UN-led Geneva process must be renewed. They call on EU foreign policy chief Mogherini to step up the EU’s role in peace talks, support the no-fly zones, actively back Syrian civil society and commit significant resources to Syria’s reconstruction.

MEPs welcome the EU-hosted second Brussels Conference on Syria to be held on 24-25 April.